The results are in and once again the biennial Local Streets and Roads Assessment has concluded that California’s local system remains on the brink of a rapid, downward condition spiral if maintenance funding shortfalls are not addressed.

The League of California Cities is excited to announce the return of the Mayors and Council Members Executive Forum. The 2015 Mayors and Council Members Executive Forum and Advanced Leadership Workshop will be held June 24-26 in Monterey at the Portola Hotel with an agenda geared to supplying California’s mayors and council members with the tools they need to serve their communities.

Writing in the Sacramento Bee on Oct. 9, CalPERS CEO Anne Statusboll makes the case that if pensions are altered under bankruptcy, public employees pay the ultimate price. Ms. Statusboll’s op-ed, “If pensions are cut, the losers are public employees,” addresses the effect of U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Christopher Klein’s decision last week in the city of Stockton bankruptcy proceedings. The judge ruled that pensions can be reduced as part of Chapter 9. Ms. Statusboll argues that public pensions are a form of deferred compensation, paid into by both the employee and employer.

State Treasurer Makes Case at the Bond Buyer Conference in San Diego

State Treasurer Bill Lockyer gave his final keynote address at the California Debt and Investment Advisory Committee on Wednesday in San Diego. The meeting occurred before the start of Bond Buyer’s Public Finance Conference and the treasurer chose the occasion to comment on last week’s ruling by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Klein in the city of Stockton mater that CalPERS pensions can be altered through Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama held a conference call to brief state and local officials on the government response to the Ebola epidemic. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Tom Frieden, and Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and Deputy National Security Advisor, also participated.

This story is part of an ongoing series featuring Helen Putnam Award entries. The 2014 entries are available on the League’s website as a resource for cities in a searchable database called California City Solutions. Elk Grove’s Grace House was submitted in 2014 for the Housing Programs and Innovations award category.